Mario Rigby Explorer

Franconia Ridge gave me exactly what I needed and a proper beating.

Jessica and I took on the Liberty / Franconia Ridge Loop in New Hampshire, and honestly, my body got checked. Wet stone, thick forest, endless climbing, cramps, locked-up legs, and over 30,000 steps by the end of the day.

We didn’t finish the whole loop in one clean push, but the mountain gave us more than enough.

This one also felt special because it was my first real trail test with my new partnership with Fjällräven. The gear wasn’t just worn for a clean mountain photo. It got rain, sweat, mud, wind, rock, and the full “Mario is suffering but pretending he’s fine” treatment.

That’s the kind of partnership I care about. Use the gear. Test it. Let the mountain tell the truth.

This year has quietly become about rebuilding consistency. Since climbing Mount Washington earlier this year, then Mount Kilimanjaro, and training on Mount Rainier as I prepare for Denali, I’ve been trying to put myself back into the work. Not perfectly. Not dramatically. Just consistently.

One climb at a time.

What made Franconia even better was sharing it with an old friend I hadn’t seen in over 13 years. We moved through the trail, caught up on life, laughed through the suffering, and remembered old versions of ourselves without needing to stay there.

Then we came back to Lumen muddy, hungry, and cooked. Steak over the fire. Rain falling through the trees. Two tired people sitting by the flames while the forest did its thing.

Jessica kept calling the day “glorious.”

And she was right.

It was glorious in the way only earned days can be. Legs gone. Clothes damp. Mind clear. Spirit full.

More days like this.

Shot with Meta Oakley Goggles and iPhone 17 Pro Max

Today I had the chance to speak at Bayview Glen for Earth Day.

I spoke with students about adventure, sustainability, fear, failure, and what it means to live with purpose in a world that is changing fast.

What stood out most wasn’t just being on stage. It was the questions. The curiosity. The way these young people are already thinking about the planet, their future, and the kind of lives they want to build.

I wanted them to leave with one thing:

You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin. You just need the courage to step beyond what feels comfortable.

The next generation will need more than information. They’ll need bravery, creativity, resilience, and a deeper connection to the world around them.

If even one student walked out today feeling more capable of doing something meaningful with their life, then the talk did what it was supposed to do.

Grateful for the opportunity to share my story, and even more grateful to be reminded why this work matters.

Step outside your comfort zone

Ottawa just delivered.” 🇨🇦 Scouts Canada in the field. Lunch + dinner at the British High Commission. Finally linking with . And none of it happens without putting me in the right rooms.

Episode 2 / 3
When It Gets Real

By now, the mountain had settled in.

Breathing was heavier. Sleep was light. Appetite came and went.

The routine became simple wake up, walk, hydrate, repeat.
Pole pole. Slow. Steady.

Altitude doesn’t announce itself. It just quietly demands more.

This is where excitement fades and discipline carries you.

Move with intention. Earn every step.

Day Zero to First Steps
Episode 1 / 3

This journey started in Moshi, with a briefing at Stella Maris Lodge, a place where guests directly support a local school through their stay. A reminder that where you choose to spend your money matters.

From there, we met our team with went through final checks, and drove to the Lemosho Gate to begin the climb.

The first days were about settling into rhythm. Moving slowly. Letting the mountain set the pace.

At the end of long hikes, when we reached camp, the porters gathered and sang together to reset after long days of hiking.

This climb was also preparation gathering real-world lessons for Beyond Human, a long-term expedition to reach the Seven Summits using only human power to get to each mountain.

That was the real beginning.

Onward.